How to Handle a Blowout

[coachgeo]

Just a simulation.... no real FMTV was harmed.

But, there has been some deaths over last couple years in America with folk who had a blow out in a u500 Unimog. With this in back of my mind; while reviewing some things came across the below "blow out" driving vid. A device that might help obviously is CTIS, but many of the FMTV's out there have the CTIS disabled. Granted CTIS has been blamed ( but not shown /proven) to have been a possible fault related to why the U500's crashed. Also alot of us Civilians drive on used close to out of date tires so there is that issue too.

Though intended to RVers it might???? relate to use as well.

Question is though..... will there be any difference in driving technique in a blow out situation with having AWD on FMTV's?
. Is it possible AWD could help when using techniques suggested in the vid?
. Is there other completely different techniques taught by the military?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkwOE1yKY5c

Hope it helps someone out there get home alive or without hurting someone else.

 

[dmetalmiki]

There is no sound to this video, So no dialog to follow. However, a front wheel blowout on deuce or similar would NOT be 'resolved' by pushing the throttle to the floor. I only saw this once (the occurrence) and the truck was pulled off the road in the blink of an eye and overturned. No Time for messing with and waiting for throttle response. The steering wheel (we learned later) was ripped out of the drivers hands and spun like a mad thing!
One possible (tiring) ongoing preventive action is to HOLD the steering wheel correctly and FIRMLY AT ALL TIMES. Anticipating problems before they arise. Tiring, but (at least somewhat) Safer. my 1/2 (nay) 3/4+ penne'th.

 

[Suprman]

Run flats although they add significant weight to the wheels would help in a blowout situation. The blowout corner would still drop a few inches and cause veer. Running properly infkated, newer dated tires and inspecting them regularly is good practice. I have seen a lot of surplus trucks that come with questionable tires.

 

[sargentwolf]

Does the unimog have run flats in them?

 

[Jericho]

I have had a blow out in the MIDDLE set of M 561 doing about 45 on a dirt road, Heard a WHup, whup ,whup, and felt the unit sag, , it stayed remarkably stable and I continued another 500 feet or so , slowed, to find a good pull off. I have probably got 10000 goat miles in the last five or six years , first blow out, BUT, I find them remarkably stable , over rough ground and paved roads. The major difference is there is no "flutter? in the wheel prior to losing control as there is in a CJ for example, one second your stable , the next your over the edge, very few contechtual clues. My deuce M109a 3 is stable although feels top heavy after driving a M 35 A2 , Ive had rears go flat, Never even knew it till I stopped for fuel or got home! Fronts are a different story , Hard wrenching pull into the direction of the failed tire, real thumb breaker, hard blow out on side wall . lucky only doing about thirty , sliced it on stone, May I say it got my attention! hate to think if I was loaded and doing 50! I don't have power steering, , and think the effects would be lessened with Powered steering. Perhaps a M35A3

 

[Lmtv772]

I wasn't going to say something, but blow outs of tires are way to serious of a topic to put out wrong information, especially information about RV's on a forum for military 2.5ton trucks with 4 wheel drive, SMDH.
Many people with LMTV don't post here anymore because of the OP and what he posts. SMH
I have seen plenty of LMTV that had a front tire blow out and rolled and when they roll it's usually a very nasty sight.

 

[coachgeo]

I wasn't going to say something, but blow outs of tires are way to serious of a topic to put out wrong information, especially information about RV's on a forum for military 2.5ton trucks with 4 wheel drive....

Please do post RIGHT information!!! look forward to your helping everyone else out. Simply answer the original question posted of "what differences would there be with an AWD vehicle like the FMTV"? or any other information you feel pertinent. Many would certainly appreciate it.

PS- how about considering not letting your spite toward me affect everyone else. There is a lot of fine people in here your choosing to be holding information from out of spite for one person, be that spite for logical reasons or not, is irrelevant.

 

[coachgeo]

Does the unimog have run flats in them?

hmmm....... I do not believe the ones involved had runflats but do not quote me on that. They were not military versions. Iffff I recall right one was Fire/Rescue and the other was custom Expedition rig. Only relevance to the FMTV is their size and the tragedy.

 

[LostInTheWorld]

I struggle with the topic of how old is "too old" for these tires. I know there are a lot of factors, but many of these tires we are using have unknown history. Is a visual inspection enough? I would sure like to avoid a rollover.

Michael

 

[98G]

I've had several blowouts with super singles on 939series 5ton trucks. While not an LMTV, my experience should be relevant.

The one that you'd expect to be catastrophic wasn't : right steer tire on an M923A2, at highway speed, with an M925A1 on towbars behind it. Just a sudden *BANG* and the right front dropped a few inches. I eased off the accelerator and didn't touch the brake, coasted off the next exit ramp. Not a big deal in the scheme of things...

The one that was harder to control was when the intermediate left blew. Similar scenario - *BANG*, Loaded M923A2 with M925A1 on towbars, about 50mph and going uphill. The truck squirmed , and since there was no oncoming traffic I let it wander into the oncoming lane while slowing and then coming back over and stopping on the shoulder....

Heat kills tires. Heat from overloading, heat from under inflation, heat from sustained speed. CTIS kills tires, from sitting flat and damaging sidewalls.

Military tires are OZ rated, making the 6 year rule of thumb for date codes less relevant...

 

[Suprman]

In my opinion, the Goodyear mvts are better than the Michelins. I don't like how the Michelin sidewalks are wavy. Now I am slightly biased from the older style Michelin xl on the m939 trucks with singles. Those are all old and blowouts just waiting to happen. The lmtv Michelins have not, that I know of, had the same sidewall disintegration issues but the wavy sidewalls look so similar that I can't help associating the two. Just like old plastic can get soft or sticky, petroleum based tire rubber deteriorates over time. I believe different state have laws specifying age limits on selling new tires. I replace my civ vehicle tires at worst every 4 years regardless if there is life left on them. They don't usually make it that long I have a heavy foot. A lot of the mil trucks come with tires that are 10 plus years old. Even though the tires may look good there has to be some rubber deterioration. All the belts, bands and tire support structure it still comes down to the rubber keeping the air in the tire.

 

[coachgeo]

I struggle with the topic of how old is "too old" for these tires. I know there are a lot of factors, but many of these tires we are using have unknown history. Is a visual inspection enough? I would sure like to avoid a rollover.

Michael

though it does not answer your question..... one reason purchased the specific 1078 I did, was cause the seller had the skill and knowledge to build a ROP that could protect my cranium in case of a roll. Not that my cranium contains a brain with much knowledge in it..... do find it a bit useful occasionally. Plan is to build a sturdy cage* in the bed to surround the Camper Box which is not going to be a STRONG box like an S788 or larger. Hope the cage will help some at least. Having rolled a Jeep and a Car in snow/Ice..... I like ROPs and Cages.

In your case would think your S280 should significantly help you out if a roll occurs but I've got no direct knowledge of that.

*just above cab height and also serve as hoops for some form of a bed cover and top Solar panels that stay installed even when camper box removed.

 

[gimpyrobb]

If anyone wants free run flats for their 395s, I have them for you in Dayton Ohio. PM to arrange pickup.

 

[coachgeo]

If anyone wants free run flats for their 395s, I have them for you in Dayton Ohio. PM to arrange pickup.

PMed ya since am in your area.

 

[swbradley1]

Take two sets for your truck, they're small.

 

[Jericho]

There is certainly relevance to the AGE argument. Goat tires are never Young. Each of my flats were probably at least partially age related. The crux is the I only drive it occasionally. Verse Tires are **** expensive. The eternal dicotomy requardless of the truck one drives

 

[Lmtv772]

well, the price of cool ain't cheap.
Safety has it's price and so do new tires. if you experience a blowout and ram your LMTV in a subway shop or similar building and harm other people including yourself. you'll pay far more than for a set of new tires. On the upside. One can always trade down to a suzuki vitara or jeep wrangler instead.

As per questions , People who care to ask about something can always PM me.

 

[Oxyacetylene]

Military tires are OZ rated, making the 6 year rule of thumb for date codes less relevant...

I wondered how these tires were so resilient to dry rot and cracking like seems to plague most consumer tires. I have a set of Nitto's on a suburban that have held up very well also. Now I'm wondering if there is an easy way to tell which civilian car/truck tires have similar resistance to UV. Thanks for that tidbit.

 

[Jericho]

you absolutely correct,Perhaps if we had more buying power as a group to get less expensive tires Humm may be worth looking at

 

[gimpyrobb]

you absolutely correct,Perhaps if we had more buying power as a group to get less expensive tires Humm may be worth looking at

I have a buddy that worked at an RV place. They were an authorized Michelin dealer. He looked up the wrong ones, I run 395 XZL and he looked up 395 XML, but, HIS COST was $1462 per tire with a federal excise tax of 31.66 for a total of $1493.66 each. Retail was $1731.66.